Tabbed rubber article and method for making the same



Sept. 28, 1943. C, NEAL Em 2,330,330

TABBED RUBBER. ARTICLE AND METHOD FOR MAKING THE SAME Filed N vQ 16. 1939- mlmmmuiulmu W J L 277. 272? 555/ .L'ZEEE/ 555 5 5 L'MHUEL Patented Sept. 28, 1943.

TABBED RUBBER METHOD FOR MAKING 'rnn SAME Carl L. Bea] and-George I Winder, Cuyahoga Falls, hio,-assignors tG-American Anode Inc., Akron, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application Novemberglii, 1939, Serial No. 304,798

22 Claims.

-This invention relates to rubber articles provided with tab-like extensions, such as hot'water bottles, ice bags, syringe bags, housewives aprons and the like, and to procedure and apparatus for producing such articles provided with tab-like extensions of improved structure. The invention is particularly concerned with the provision of unitary tabs on such articles produced in seamless form by deposition of rubber from an aqueous dispersion of rubber or other liquid rubber composition as in the wellknown latex dipping processes.

In providing tabs on dipped hollow articles such as hot water bottles, it has been the customary practice to produce the article proper by'a dipping process in the usual manner and then to aiilx a separately prepared tab to the exterior surface of the rubber article. Such procedure necessarily produces an abrupt surface at the juncture of the tab and the main body of the article which is not only unsightly but rough, and undesirable for both reasons. Furthermore, such exteriorly aiilxed tabs sometimes pull loose from the main body of the article, From the manufacturing point of view, such procedure is undesirably costly.

The present invention aims to produce a seamless rubber article by a dipping process and to provide upon such an article an efficient and enwot the base and one of the associated tab memtirely satisfactory unitary tab presenting a seam-- less, uninterrupted exterior rubber surface continuous with the seamless rubber surface of the article proper. More particularly, the invention aims to provide tabbed hot water bottles, ice bags, and similar articles of superior and more economical construction. The invention also con-- templates improved and more economical procedure and apparatus for producing such tabbed articles. o

In general, the objects set forth are accomplished by pre-forming a'tab member of the desired shape, detachably associating the preformed tab member with a deposition base adapted to form the body' of the desired article, and then coating the deposition base and associated tab member with a liquid rubber composition to produce thereover a seamless deposit of rubber incorporating the tab member as a unitary part of the article and thereby producing, upon removing the deposit and integrally associated tab member from the base, an exteriorly seamless tabbed article in which the tab is relatively much heavier and stronger than the walls of the article.

ture. Transversely apertured tabs ordinarily are desirable in articles of the character indicated to afiord means for tying or otherwise securing the articles in place, and such apertured tabs are readily produced in seamless attachment by providing an appropriate aperture in the pre-formed tab member. When this is done, the liquid rubber composition coats the entire exposed surface of the tab member, including the surface of the bore of the aperture, and consequently interlocks the tab member mechanically in inseparable relations with the overlying rubber. Additionally, the pre-formed tab member desirably is formed of material such as rubber orrubberized fabric which may be integrally joined to the overlying rubber by conjoint vulcanization to produce an integral structure efiectively retaining the preformed tab member in place even without the mechanical interlocking produced in the case of apertured tabs.

The invention as exemplified by preferred embodiments will be described in greater detail with reference to the accompa ying drawing, of which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a deposition base utilized in the invention for producing an article such as a combination water and ice bag for treating the throat of a patient, the deposition base having pre-formed tab members detachably associated therewith at either end, and a portion bers being broken away and sectioned for clarity of illustration;

Fig. 2-is a fragmentary plan view showing an end of the deposition base of Fig. 1 and a tab member associated therewith;

Fig. 34s a sectional elevation illustrating a step I in the process and showing the deposition base and associated tab member of Fig. 1 immersed ma liquid rubber composition for receiving a coating; V

Fig. 4 is an elevation showing a finished article such as a combination water and ice ,bag embodying the present invention, a portion of the article being broken away and sectioned to showmore clearly the novel tab structure;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrat-- Fig. '7 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating a somewhat diiferent method of detachably associating a tab member with the deposition base;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation illustrating a slightly modified embodiment of the invention as applied to a combination water and ice bag for treating the head of a patient, a portion of the bag being broken away and sectioned to show the tab structure clearly; I V

Fig. 9 is afragmentary front view showing the lower portion of the bag of Fig. 8, a portion of the bag being broken away and sectioned to show the tab structure.

'For convenience of description, the invention will be set forth primarily from the procedural point of view as applied to the manufacture of an' illustrative product such as a so-called throat bag. The apparatus and product aspects of the invention will become evident as the description proceeds. j

In a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated more particularly in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, we first provide a deposition base l shaped to form the hollow container of, the desired throat bag and a filler neck therefor. The form l0 may bemade of any usual material such as ,metal, glass, wood, plastics, hard rubber, or the like, but desirably is made of aluminum or other non-corrodible metal and ordinarily should be rigid although non-rigid bases are not prohibited. We next prepare tab members i I, ll, each provided With a transverse aperture l2, as by die-cutting members of the shape shown from a sheet of suitable material. The tab members may be cut,-or otherwise formed, as by molding where appropriate, from a variety of materials including rubber, leather, paper, metal, synthetic rubber-like materials, synthetic plastics, and the like, but preferably is formed of material such as an unvulcanized but vulcanizable rubber composition 'which will adhere tenaciously to the subsequently deposited rubber and which may be vulcanized o onjointly with the subsequently deposited, overlying rubber to produce a unitary vulcanized structure. The prepared tab members II, II then are detachably associated in outwardly projecting relation with the deposition base I0, one tab member projecting straight out from either end of the base and the apertured zone of the member being exposed. When the tab members H, H are made of unvulcanized rubber or similar material, they may be associated with the deposition base very quick ly and easily simply by inserting a short length of the tab members into appropriate rectangular recesses l3, 13, provided at desired'positions at either end of the base 10 and extending axially into the bodyof the base. When closely fitted, frictional engagement of the rubber with the walls of the recess alone i adequate to retain the tab member in place during the subsequent dipping operation while permitting ready and easy removal of the member when it is stripped with the finished article as an integral part thereof.

Other forms of tab members may be attached to the deposition base in various ways. As shown in Fig. 5, a tab member l4 may be prepared by folding a sheet of rubberized fabric to produce a laminar tab member, spreading the ends of the member apart, and fitting the spread-apart ends of the tab member into a surface recess at the nose of the deposition base Illa, as indicated at 5, l5. Rubber cement or other adhesive may be utilized to assist in retaining the tab member 14 in place on the form and/or slightly projecting pins it; may he provided to engage the tab 0, member as shown in Fig. 6. In. some cases, when using materials such as unwllcanized rubber having a tacky surface, it is possible merely to stick the tab member to the desired part of the deposition base, either with or without the use of rubber cement or other adhesive material. Such a structure is shown in Fig. 7 in which an unvulcanized rubber tab member I! is mounted solely by adhesion upon the nose end of a deposition base vlilb. Any of the tab members may be provided with transverse apertures as shown, by punching, dieing or the like, or the apertures may be omitted when not required. When the tab member is formed of material which does not adhere well to rubber, the tab member may be treated with an adhesive prior to deposition of the overlying rubber.

Next, the deposition base and associated tab members are immersed completely in a com- 1,908,719, although other known procedures may be employed.

The deposited rubber coating then is dried and therubber of both the coating and the tab members is vulcanized while in conjoint relation to produce an integral, unitary vulcanized structure. The drying and vulcanization, of course, are effected according to known procedures well understood in the rubber industry.

The composite article, including the main body or container I9 and the enclosed tab members I I, then is removed from the deposition base; the filler neck portion 20 of the container is trimmed; and a conventional screw-cap or other closure member 2| is attached to the filler neck to produce the completed throat bag as illustrated in Fig. 4.

An article embodying a modified form of the invention utilizing a rubberized fabric tab member is illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 Showing a combination water bottle and ice bag for treating the head. The head bag comprises a head-shaped hollow container having seamless, flexible rubber walls 25 and a conventional screw-cap closure member 26. A pair of downwardly projecting tabs are provided at the lower edges of the bag, the tabs being produced, in general, according to the procedure previously-described for producing the throat bag of Fig. 4. In this instance, however, the inner tab member 21, are formed of rubberized fabric, apertured as shown.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the novel tabs of the present invention comprise an inner tab-shaped member and an outer member consisting of rubber formed as a seamless continuation of the walls of the main body of the container or other article, and that the outer member encloses and conforms closely to the surface of the inner member, including the surface in the bore of the aperture, so that an uninterrupted, seamless exterior surface is presented. In the preferred embodiments, both tab members comprise rubber and they are joined into a unitary body by conjoint vulcanization of the two members. As has been indicated, in the case of apcrtured tabs, the inner member is mechanically locked inseparably in proper position. When recessed forms are utilized, the portion of the tab member inserted in the recess will project from the inner bag surface as at 30, 30, but as this slight projection is inside the bag it is in no way objectionable. If an uninterrupted interior surface is desired, the deposition base may be coated with a liquid rubber composition, prior to associating the tab members therewith, to produce an inner layer of rubber which may be integrally joined to the subsequent coating of rubber by conjoint vulcanization to produce a unitary structure completely enclosing the inner tab member. In such a structure, there is no possibility that water or other, material contained by the bag will penetrate between the inner and outer tab members.

When, as in the preferred procedure, the main body of the article is produced by deposition from an aqueous dispersion of rubber, the article will have the smoothly flowed glossy exterior surface and grainless, seamless structure characteristic of rubber articles deposited in situ from an aqueous dispersion of rubber. Such deposits are superior to ordinary rubber goods both in appearance and in service characteristics and are especially adapted for Water bottles, ice bags and the like.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to tabbed articles, the principles herein set forth may be utilized in producing a.wide variety of extensions, handles, loops, and other generally tab-like members on a variety of articles including not only hollow rubber articles but sheet rubber'articles such as housewives aprons, and the like. Aperture-reenforcing elements of metal, molded rubber, molded plastics or the like may be associated with the apertures in tabs formed according to the present invention in the manner employed in associating such elements with apertured tabs Of ordinary molded rubber, but such reenforcing elements usually will not be required because the tough grainless exterior tab member enveloping the separately formed inner tab member provides an unusually strong tab structure dispensing with the necessity of reenforcement for most purposes. It will also be understood that snap fasteners, hooks, rings, or the other additional members may be attached to or associated with the tabs where desired. The term rubber has been used in a broad sense to include natural and synthetic rubbers and. rubber=like materials.

Numerous modifications and variations in de-' tails of the invention as herein described may be efiected without departing from the spirit and scope-of theinvention as defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. An article of manufacture comprising a body formed of material including rubber and a tablik portion extending from the body, said tablike portion comprising a solid inner member having the general shape of the tab-like portion and being substantially co-extensive therewith and an outer member constituted by a seamless pocket comprising rubber formed as an integral and seamless continuation of adjacent portions of the said body, said outer pocket member enclosing and completely covering all outwardly projecting portions of the said inner member, opposed surfaces of the two tab members being adhesively engaged.

2. An article of manufacture comprising a body formed of material including rubber and an apertured tab-like portion extending from the body, said apertured tab-like portion comprising an inner member having the general shape of the tab-like portion and having an aperture therein and an outer member comprising rubber formed as an integral and seamless continuation of adjacent portions of the said body, said outer member enclosing and completely covering all outwardly projecting portions of the said inner member and conforming closely to the surface thereof including the surface in the bore of the aperture.

3. An article of manufacture comprising a body formed of rubber having the characteristics of rubber deposited from an aqueous dispersion of rubber and a tab-like portion extending from the body, said tab-like portion comprising a solid inner member having the general shape of the tab-like portion and being substantially co-extensive therewith and an outer member constituted by a seamless pocket comprising rubber formed as a seamless continuation of adjacent portions of said body and having the characteristics ofrubber deposited from an aqueous dispersion of rubber, said outer pocket member enclosing and completely covering all outwardly projecting portions of the said inner member; opposed surfaces of the two tab members being adhesively engaged.

4. An article of manufacture comprising a body' formed of rubber having the characteristics of rubber deposited from an aqueous dispersion of rubber and an apertured tab-like portion extending from the body, said apertured tab-like portion comprising an inner member having the general shape of the tab-like portion and having an aperture therein and an outer member comprising rubber formed as a seamless continuation of adjacent portions of said body and having the characteristics of rubber deposited from an aqueous dispersion of rubber, said outer member enclosing and completely covering all outwardly projecting portions of the said inner member and closely conforming to the surface thereof including the surface in the bore of the aperture.

I 5. An article of manufacture comprising a body formed of rubber having the characteristics of rubber deposited from an aqueous dispersion ofrubber and a tab-like portion extending from the body, said tab-like portion comprising a solid inner member comprising rubber and having the general shape of the tab-like portion and being substantially co-extensive therewith and an outer member comprising rubber formed as a seamless continuation of adjacent portions of said body and having the characteristics of rubber deposited from an'aqueous dispersion of rubber, said outer member enclosing and completely covering. all outwardly projecting portions of the said inner member and conforming closely to the surface of said inner member, the two members being joined intoa substantially unitary tab-like portion by conjoint vulcanization of the two members.

6. A waterbottle, ice bag, or the like, comprising a hollow container and an apertured tabprojecting outwardly from the container, said container comprising a flexible wall comprising rubber, said tab comprising an inner, tab-shaped member and an outer member comprising a seamless rubber pocket formed as an integral and seamless continuation of adjacent portions 01 the said flexible wall of the container, said outer member contiguously enclosing and completely covering all outwardly projecting portions of the inner member and conforming closely to the surface thereof.

8. A water bottle, ice bag, or the like, comprising a hollow container and a tab projecting outwardly from the container, said container comprising a seamless wall formed of rubber having the characteristics of rubber deposited from an aqueous dispersion of rubber, said tab comprising an inner, tab-shaped member and an outer member comprising a seamless rubber pocket formed as a seamless continuation of the seamless wall of the container and having the characteristics of rubber deposited from an aqueous dispersion of rubber, said outer member contiguously enclosing and completely covering all outwardly projecting portions of the inner member and confc-rming closely to the surface thereof.

9. A water bottle, ice bag, or the like, comprising a hollow container and an apertured tab projecting outwardly from the container, said container comprising a seamless wall formed of rubber having the characteristics of rubber deposited from an aqueous dispersion of rubber, said apertured tab comprising an inner, tab-shaped member having an aperture therein and an outer member comprising a seamless rubber pocket formed a a seamless continuation of the seamless wall of the container and having the characteristics of rubber deposited from an aqueous dispersion of rubber, said outer member contiguously enclosing and completel covering all outwardly projecting portions of the inner member and conforming closely to the surface thereof including the surface in the bore of the aperture.

10. A water bottle, ice bag, or the like, comprlsing a hollow container and a tab projecting outwardly from the container; said container comprising a single, seamless wall formed of rubber having the characteristics of rubber deposited from an aqueous dispersion of rubber, said tab comprising an inner, tab-shaped member comprising rubber and an outer member comprising a seamless rubber pocket formed as a seamless continuation of the seamless wall of the con- 4 tainer and having the characteristics of rubber deposited from an aqueous dispersion of rubber,

" said outer pocket member enclosing and completely covering all outwardly projecting portions of the inner member and conforming closely to the surface of said inner member, the two members being joined into a substantially unitary tab by conjoint vulcanization.

11. An article of manufacture comprising a body of rubber having the characteristics of rubber deposited from an aqueous dispersion of rub her and a separate tab member projecting outwardly from the body, said body including an outwardly extending, tab-shaped seamless pocket contiguousl enclosing and completely covering all outwardly projecting portions of said tab member and being adhered thereto to incorporate the tab member as a substantially unitary part of the article.

12. A method of making a rubber article hav ing a solid tab-like extension thereon, which comprises providing a deposition base having the general shape of the desired article, preforming a solid tab-like member having a generally thin and flat configuration, detachably associating an edge-portion of the preformed tab-like member with the deposition base in such manner that the tab-like member projects outwardly from the base with both flat faces of the member substantially exposed, applying a liquid rubber-composition to the base and at least a substantial portion of the tab-like member and producing thereon a continuous, seamles coating of rubber in corporating the tab-like member as a substantially unitary part of the article, and removing the article including the tab-like member from the deposition form without materially disturbing the incorporation of the preformed member within the seamless coating.

13. A method of making a hollow rubber article provided with a solid, tab-like extension having an aperture therein, which comprises providing a deposition base adapted to form the desired hollow article, detachably associating in outwardly projecting relation with the deposition base a solid, tab-like member having an aperture therein, applying a liquid rubber composition to the base and at least a substantial portion of the tablike member including the apertured region and producing thereon a continuous, seamless coating of rubber incorporating the tab-like member as a substantially unitary part of the article, the said coating being insufficient in thickness to fill the aperture, and removing the article including the tab like member from the deposition base.

14. A method of making a hollow rubber article having a solid tab-like extension thereon, which comprises providing a deposition base adapted to form the desired hollow article, detachably associating in outwardly projecting relation with the deposition base a solid, tab-like member having an aperture therein, applying a liquid rubber composition to the base and to the entire exposed surface of the tab-like member including the surface in the bore of the aperture and producing thereon a continuous seamless coating of rubber, enclosing and incorporating the tab-like member as a substantially unitary part of the article, said coating being insufiicient in thickness to fill the aperture, and removing the article including the tab-like member from the deposition base.

15. A method of making a rubber article having a tab-like extension thereon, which comprises providing a deposition base having the general shape of the desired article and including means comprising a recess in the base for detachably associating a tab-like member with the base, preforming a tab-like member having a generally thin and flat configuration, detachably associating the tab-like member in outwardly projecting relation with the base by inserting an edge portion of the tab-like member in the said recess while leaving both flat faces of the member substantially exposed, applying a liquid rubber composition to the base and at least a substantial portion of the tab-like member and producing thereon a continuous seamless coating of rubber incorporating the tab-like member as a substantially unitary part of the article, and removing the article including the tab-like member from the deposition base, without materially disturbing the incorporation of the preformed tab member within the seamless coating.

16. A method of making a rubber article having a tab-like extension thereon, which comprises rubber incorporating providing a deposition base adapted to form the desired article and including a recess adapted to receive a tab-like member, preforming a tab-like member having a generally thin and flat configuration, detachably associating the tab-like member in outwardly projecting relation with the base by inserting an edge portion of the member in said recess in such manner that the member is ment of the member with the walls of the recess, both flat faces of the tab-like member being left substantially exposed, applying a liquid rubber tab-like member comprising rubber in outwardly projecting relation with the base by inserting the. member in said recess in such manner that the member is retained in the recess solely byfrictional engagement of the member with the walls of the recess and so that the apertured region of the tab lik member is exposed, immersing the deposition base including the entire exposed surface of the associated tab-like member in an aqueous dispersion of rubber and producing a seamless deposit ofrubber upon the base and the tab-like member, the said deposit being insumcient in thickness to fill the aperture in the tablike member, andvulcanizing the deposited rubber and the rubber of the tab-like member conjointly whereby the tab-like member is incorporated as an integral part of the article, and the article presents an exteriorly seamless surface in the region of the tab-like extension.

18. A method of making a rubber article having a, tab member projecting therefrom, which comprises providing a deposition base having the general shape of the desired article, preforming a tab-shaped member of generally thin and flat configuration, detachably associating an endportion of the preformed tab member with the deposition base so that a substantial portion of the tab member project outwardly from the base retained in the recess solely by frictional engagewith substantial portions of both flat faces of the member exposed, coating the base and the entire exposed portion of the tab member with a liquid rubber composition to produce thereon a continuous, seamless coating of rubber completely covering the exposed portions of the tab member and incorporating it as a substantially unitary part of the article, and removing the resulting article including the tab member from the deposition base without materially disturbing the incorporation of the tab member within the seamless coating.

19. A method as defined by claim 18 in which the tab-shaped member comprises rubber and is preformed by cutting a finally shaped tab member from a sheet of rubber material.

v20. A method as defined by claim 18 in which the tab-shaped member is formed by folding a sheet of flexible material upon itself and securing at least one of the free ends of the folded material to the deposition base.

21. A method as defined by claim 18 m which the tab-shaped member comprises fabric and is formed by folding a fabric element upon itself, spreading the free ends of the folded element,

' and securing the spread-apart ends to the deposition base while retaining the projecting portion of the element in closely folded condition.

22. A method of making a rubber article having a tab member projecting therefrom, which comprises providing a deposition base having the general hape of the desired article, preforming a tab-shaped member adapted to be associated in outwardly projecting relation with the base, applying a coating of a liquid rubber composition to the deposition base so as to cover at least the region where the tab member is to be placed,

detachably associating the tab member with the coated portion of the form so that a substantial portion of the member projects outwardly therefrom, applying a liquid rubber composition to the base and to at least a substantial portion of the .tab member to produce thereover a continuous seamless coating of rubber merging with the firstapplied coating and incorporating the tab member as a. substantially unitary part of'the article, and removing the article including the tab member from the deposition base without materially dis- 4 turbing the incorporation of the preformed member within the coatings.

CARL L. BEAL. GEORGE L. WINDER. 

